William stebnbebg-



(No Model.) y

W. STERNBERG.

v TOBACCO TRANSPORT ING RACK. No. 298,252,, 1, a PaLeted May 6, 1884.

FFIfiE VV'ILLIAM STERNBERG, OF CIOERO, NEWV YORK.

TOBACC O-TRANSPORTING RACK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 298,252, dated May 6,1884.

Application filed February 9, 1884.

(No model.)

To aZZ whom it may concern Be it known that I, WILLIAM STERNBERG, ofCicero, in the county of Onondaga, in the State of New York, haveinvented new and useful Improvements in Tobacco-Transportin g Racks,ofwhich the following, taken in connection with the accompanyingdrawings, is a full, clear, andexact description.

This invention consists in a novel, simple, and comparativelyinexpensive construction of a portable rack which greatly facilitatesthe labor of gathering the tobacco in the field, and is capable ofcarrying the same safely from the field to the barn or tobacco-house,and, furthermore, avoids the injury to the plants hitherto caused by thesplitting of the stalk thereof in attaching them to the carrying-bar.

The invention is fully illustrated in the annexed drawings, whereinFigure I is a side elevation of my improved tobacco-plant transportingapparatus. Fig. II is a central transverse section of the same. Fig. IIIis an isometric view of the ends of the rack-skids, showing the means ofretaining the tobaccocarrying bars in position while applying there tothe'tobacco-plants. Fig. IV is a perspective view of thetobacco-carrying bar, and Fig. V is a top view of the same.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A represents ahorizontal frame or platform, mounted on a wagon in lieuof and in a man ner similar to the body of a hay-rack. On

- same from the field. The skids are provided with longitudinal guidesZ), to retain thereon the tobacco-carrying bars 0, which ride with theirends on the skids and abut against the guides thereof. The ends of theskids are 'on the skid while applying the tobacco-plants to said bar.

Hitherto the tobacco-carryin g bars consisted of a plain stick pointedat the ends, by which they were passed into a slit in the stalk of thetobacco, which latter became thus attached to the bar. This mode ofattaching the plants is not only slow, tedious, and laborious, but alsosubjects the plants to so much handling as to injure them to a greateror less extent, and, furthermore, the splitting of the stalk causes theplant to dry out too quickly to allow it to properly mature, therebymaking the tobacco light-colored and impairing its quality. To obviatethis I apply to the bar 0 suitable fastening devices, 6 e, which mayconsist either of spring-clasps, as shown, or of hooks or other meansfor readily engaging or grasping the shanks of tobacco-plants.

In using my improvement the wagon carrying the rack A a B is taken tothe field and to the place where the tobacco-plants are tobe cut. Thenthe bar 0 is laid with its ends on the ends of two of the skids B B, andsecured in position by entering the ends of the bar in the notches a orother locking devices on the skids. Then the plants are to be cut andimmediately hung by their shanks onto the clasps or fastening devices ee on the bar 0, and when thus loaded said bar is lifted out of thenotches n and shifted along onthe skids B-toward the center of the rack,and another bar 0 is placed onto the ends of the skids, preparatory toapplying thereto another lot of cut plants, and in this manner theseveral skids are loaded. The loading may be carried on at both sides ofthe wagon when desired. I

In order to protect those plants which in loading have to pass over thewheels of the wagon, I hang onto the under side of the skids B an apron,D, which hangs over the front of the upper portion of the Wheel, asillustrated in Fig. II of the drawings. I

Having described my invention,what I claim IOZ) 1. The combination, witha wagon-rack, of suspended from the rack and hanging over parallelhorizontal skids carried elevated and transversely on the rack andprojecting over 5 skids,loeking devices on the ends of the skids, forretaining one of the tohacep-carrying bars,

and bars adapted to ride 011 the skids and provided with fasteningdevices for attaching thereto the tobacco-plants, substantially as,

[0 described and shown.

2. I11 combination with the wagon and tobaeeo-raek mounted thereon, theapron D,

the outside of the wheels, substantially in the manner specified andshown. the sides thereof, longitudinal guides on the I In testimonywhereof I have hereunto signed my name and alfixed niy seal, in thepresence of two attesting witnesses, at Syracuse, in the county ofOnondaga, in the State of New York, this 6th day of February, 1884.

\VILLIAH S'JTERNBERG.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK H. GIBBS, O. BENDIXON.

